Forging the Future: Change of Heart

Jin Church is back where he started, alone, wandering, and uncertain of his path. It's not by choice but by circumstance, as he remembers he's a werepanther...but not much else. He knows one thing for sure - he needs to find the beautiful blond man who haunts his dreams.

Half Moon Rising

After more than a decade, Troy Bishop is going home to the family he left behind when his parents died. Little does Troy know, he's about to get a lot more than he bargained for. Sawyer Quinton has been waiting for his mate for as long as he can remember and was beginning to think he'd never find him. Until Troy Bishop walked back onto the Reservation. The attraction is immediate for both men, but one is hiding a secret and the other must finally open is heart.

Mad Lizard Mambo: The Kai Gracen Series, Book 2

Licensed Stalkers make their living hunting down monsters and dangerous criminals, and their lives are usually brief, brutal, and thankless. Despite being elfin and cursed with a nearly immortal lifespan, Kai didn't expect to be any different. Then Ryder, the High Lord of the Southern Rise Court, arrived in San Diego, and Kai's not-so-mundane life went from mild mayhem to full-throttle chaos.

Drawn Together

Rory's just a simple southern boy from St. Antoine's Parish, Louisiana, but he knows what he wants - the girl of his dreams, reclusive and mysterious artist Ran Yamane. He's loved her since junior high school, and now he has the chance to meet her. He chucks everything and travels 1,500 miles to Anime Expo in Long Beach just so he can tell her. He's determined that nothing and nobody are going to stand in his way. Turns out, Ran Yamane isn't a girl, but he gets that a lot.

Forbidden Mate: Holland Brothers, Book 4

Finding his mate should have been Patrick Holland's greatest day. Instead, it turned into a nightmare with one phone call. His mate didn't want him. His heart broke. But at 16 he was too young to do anything. The next 10 years - 10 long years - of Patrick's life are spent at odds with his mate. Split by forces he can't comprehend and a long line of misunderstandings, Patrick doubts he'll ever get the man he's both loved and hated. They say time heals all wounds, but how much time?

Old Loyalty, New Love

When jackal shifter Quade Danas was banished from his pack for being gay, he spent years in the military escaping his father's prejudice before returning to civilian life as a bodyguard for Roman Howell, the teenage son of a very rich man. After Roman is in an accident that leaves him physically scarred and emotionally distant, Quade is the only one who can get through to him. As Roman becomes a man, he realizes what he wants - his bodyguard by his side and in his bed.

Tams (TTC Books and more) says:"Fantastic start to a new Shifter series!"

The Long Way Home

Ever since the accident that cost him his job on the Seattle police force, Kevin Quinn has been living with psychic abilities he refers to as the 'gift that keeps on taking'. His attempts to use his talents to help the police have been met with limited success. Yet, when teenage boys start going missing from the beach cities of Southern California, Kevin gets on a plane.

Chevalier

Fireman Mason James thought finding out he is a Romanus - a rare class of gargoyle - would be the surprise of a lifetime, but he's proven wrong when he discovers he is the son of a comte and goji nobility. But his newly discovered family doesn't think his gargoyle lover, Luc, is good enough for a goji of Mason's stature - how could a warrior ever be? But despite the Moreaus' uncertainty and elitism, they are Mason's only chance to unravel the mystery behind his mother's death.

All Kinds of Tied Down: Marshals (Book 1)

Deputy US Marshal Miro Jones has a reputation for being calm and collected under fire. These traits serve him well with his hotshot partner, Ian Doyle, the kind of guy who can start a fight in an empty room. In the past three years of their life-and-death job, they've gone from strangers to professional coworkers to devoted teammates and best friends. Miro’s cultivated blind faith in the man who has his back… faith and something more.

By the Light of the Moon

Dakota Cadotte is on the run and alone. Forced out from his pack by the Alpha for being gay, Dakota fends for himself in the Denali wilderness. When he ventures too far away from his safe zone, he's put right in the path of a truck on the highway and right into the arms of Sam Waters. The two hit it off immediately as man and wolf, but Dakota fears Sam won't be so understanding when he sees what he truly is. When Dakota shifts in front of Sam, the sparks fly, but Dakota's past and pack threaten their relationship.

Smoke & Mirrors: THIRDS, Book 7

Life for Dexter J. Daley has never been easy, but he's always found a way to pick himself back up with a smile on his face. Taken from his home and the arms of Sloane Brodie, his boyfriend and THIRDS partner, Dex finds himself in a situation as mysterious and lethal as the Therian interrogating him. Dex learns what he's secretly believed all along: his parents' death wasn't an accident.

Aced

Ace Locke is Hollywood's hottest action hero. Women across the globe fling their panties in his direction, but Ace isn't interested in those - he's more of a boxer briefs kind of guy. Specifically, those of the nearly naked male model on a billboard he drives past every day. Though he recently made headlines for his public coming out, Ace is wary about pursuing a relationship, fearing what the court of public opinion will do to his career.

Matter of Time: Vol. 1

Jory Keyes leads a normal life as an architect’s assistant until he is witness to a brutal murder. Though initially saved by police Detective Sam Kage, Jory refuses protective custody - he has a life he loves that he won’t give up no matter who is after him. But Jory’s life is in real jeopardy, especially after he agrees to testify about what he saw. While dealing with attempts on his life, well-meaning friends who want to see him happy, an overly protective boss, and a slowly unfolding mystery that is much more sinister than he could ever imagine, the young gay man finds himself getting involved with Sam, the conflicted and closeted detective....

Lay It Down

Most people would say being stranded in the villa of Spanish shipping magnate Miguel García Arquero on the beautiful isle of Ibiza wasn't such a bad deal. But Hudson Barber isn't one of them. To him, being stuck without a passport in a foreign country far from home is a nightmare, made worse by the fact that the person who did the stranding was his flighty twin brother.

Tams (TTC Books and more) says:"Well written story - Narration - not so much"

Tournament of Losers

All Rath wants is a quiet, peaceful life. Unfortunately, his father brings him too much trouble - and too many debts to pay - for that to ever be possible. When the local crime lord drags Rath out of bed and tells him he has three days to pay his father's latest debt, Rath doesn't know what to do. There's no way to come up with so much money in so little time. Then a friend poses an idea just ridiculous enough to work: enter the Tournament of Losers, where every 75 years, peasants compete for the chance to marry into the noble and royal houses.

Wolfsong

Ox was 23 when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his blood red eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces. It's been three years since that fateful day and the boy is back. Except now he's a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Absinthe of Malice

When Crossroads Gin hits the road, Damien hopes it will draw them closer together. There's something magical about being on tour, especially when traveling in a van with no roadies, managers, or lovers to act as a buffer. The band is already close, but Damien knows they can be more brothers of sorts, bound not only by familial ties but by their intense love for music.

Alaska, with Love

Josh Montgomery is a red-blooded American male that loves his job and loves women even more. Part of an elite team run by General Derek Jacobs, Josh and his fellow assassins take pride in their jobs. When one Assassin gig turns into a rescue mission on the side, Josh's life is turned upside down by the man he rescues. Now, he has to take a good long look at who he really is. With the help from his friends Mateo, Riley, and Troy, Josh tries to understand what he's feeling.

A Kind of Romance

Zeke Gulden is a ruthless Wall Street exec. His hard-edged, no-nonsense attitude has served him well in the cutthroat business world, but less so in his personal life. When he finds out his ex-boyfriend cheated on him with a coworker, Zeke can't let go until he finds a way to get even. However, his meddlesome father has other ideas. The new hire at the family-owned bagel store is somewhat colorful, but his dad is sure he's the perfect man for Zeke.

Fighting Instinct: L'Ange, Book 2

Only a privileged few know L'Ange's head of security, Arman de Soto, is a shifter, and even fewer know he's been systematically killing off a pack of werewolves. The reason for this vengeance is a secret Arman trusts with no one, quite the opposite of his obvious longtime pursuit of the chateau's overseer, Linus Hobbes. Despite Arman's reputation as a loner, the only thing he needs to complete his life is Linus. Predator and prey just don't mix, but Arman won't give him up.

Mine

Trevan Bean has a job that's going from illegal to frightening, a boyfriend who may not be in his right mind, and a guardian angel who might actually be evil incarnate. Add to that the reappearance of his boyfriend's estranged family, death threats, kidnapping, and the struggle of saving money to realize a dream, and Trevan has a lot on his plate. But Trevan is up to the challenge: he promised Landry a happily ever after, and Landry's going to have it if it kills him! It just might.

Blue Mountain: Pack Collection, Book 1

Exiled by his pack as a teen, Omega wolf Simon Moorehead learns to bury his gentle nature in the interest of survival. When a hulking, rough-faced Alpha catches Simon on pack territory, he tries to escape what he’s sure will be imminent death. But instead of killing him, the Alpha takes Simon home. A man of action, Mitch Grant uproots his life to support his brother in leading the Blue Mountain pack. Mitch lives on the periphery, quietly protecting everyone, but always alone.

Ben: The Atherton Pack, Book 2

Tommy Morgan's life was turned upside down at the hands of his Alpha. Now, another one is claiming to be his mate. He's not ready to jump into a relationship with anyone, still suffering from nightmares due to the abuse he experienced. Instead, Tommy moves in with his brother, Declan, hoping for the space he needs to heal. Pennaeth Alpha Benjamin Taylor has his hands full dealing with all the packs across Australia. When he finds his young mate battered and bloody, he knows Tommy is going to need time to recover.

After the Sunset

Two years after riding off into the sunset with ranch owner Rand Holloway, Stefan Joss has made a tentative peace with his new life, teaching at a community college. But the course of true love never does run smooth. Rand wants him home on the ranch; Stef wants an exit strategy in case Rand ever decides to throw him out. Finally, after recognizing how unfair he's being, Stef makes a commitment, and Rand is over the moon.

Publisher's Summary

Jin Rayne is having trouble adjusting to the new life he’s supposed to love. Instead of adapting to being the mate of tribe leader Logan Church, Jin can't get past the fact that his lover was straight before they met. He's discovered the joy in belonging to Logan but fears his new life could disappear at a moment’s notice, despite Logan's insistence that they are forever, end of story.

Jin wants to trust Logan, but that desire will be put to the test both by a rival tribe leader and by a startling revelation about Jin's existence. At stake is Jin's life and his place in the tribe. If he's going to survive to see Logan again, he'll have to release his fear and freely accept the bond, for only then can he truly trust.

I love this genre and story line and was ecstatic to see the second book here. Unfortunately, I didn't pay attention to who the narrator was until after I had purchased the book. I was all set to hear Sean Crisden, and it was such a let down. I see that the first book has a different audio publisher so this explains the new narrator. I wish I had not purchased this book. Jeff Gelder's voice makes it difficult to follow which character is speaking at times, not to mention the monotone and dull recitation with a decided lack of inflection at times. Another problem is the difference in pronunciation of the special titles and words used here, but this just goes back to the different narrators. There are also several spots in this recording where the book just repeats itself. This just shows a lack in production control and very poor sound editing by this studio apparently. I have been an Audible listener almost since the company's beginning and isn't the first time I have noticed the quality change when audio publishers change and narrators change. Listeners like consistency and we all have our favorite authors and narrators. All in all, it is a great book and if you can get around the narrator, it is a great book in the genre.

I'm a huge fan of Mary Calmes. The Change of Heart series is what made me crazy about her work. I've been waiting for this audiobook for quite some time now and was so disappointed. I've already bought the book on kindle and read it several times so I know the story. I've listened to the first book(Change of Heart) on audiobook several times too. The story is heartwarming, exciting, romantic, funny and interesting. But the narrator Jeff Gelder SUCKS! He obviously didn't read the novel prior to his weak performance. In the first book Mary has a few places where she explains pronunciations and definitions. Jeff Gelder not only mispronounced most of the books unique vocabulary and names. He also was monotone on certain parts. It was almost as if he was bored with reading and everyones voice was the same during regular dialogue. Then during a fight scene he would perk up and everyone would sound a little different. The inconsistency and mispronunciations were so frequent they took away from the book. My advice is to just buy the ebook on kindle or something. Don't waste your money on the audiobook because I know that if my first exposure to the series had been with his voice reading it I wouldn't want to read anything else by Mary Calmes.

I've always had narrators I look to see what book they've read so I can listen to them. But now I'm going to look and make sure Jeff Gelder isn't reading something before I buy it.

Rerecord the entire thing with a different narrator who listened to the first story.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The story is great (when you read it on your own), the audiobook was so terrible to listen to that I deleted it shortly after chapter 1.

Any additional comments?

I read the book which was excellent, but the audiobook was PAINFUL to listen to.

If you listened to the first audiobook "Change of Heart" read by Sean Crisden and expect this one to be just as good- you're in for a rude awakening. Jeff Gelder is an awful AWFUL narrator. I got through chapter 1 and part of chapter 2 and couldn't listen to it anymore, I deleted it immediately. In my opinion it's better to listen to the text-to-voice option on your iDevice or Kindle, that's how bad it is.

1.) Monotone, the narration and lines from all the characters sound exactly the same.

2.) It sounds like one giant run-on sentence, no punctuation or punctuation in awkward places (sounds like a 5 year old reading to you).

3.) I'm not sure where to even start with the pronunciations:Sean Cristen vs Jeff Gelder"Ray-ah".............."Ray""Semel"..............."Sem. el""Shay-seroo"........"Sheshiroo""Semel Ray"........"Sem. el-ree""Delfeen"............."Del-FINE""Ma-heez"............"Maha-zzz"

There are probably more gross mispronunciations, but like I said- it was deleted shortly after the beginning of the second chapter. My advice, listen to the sample from the first book and compare it to the sample of the second. If the second sounds like nails on a chalkboard to you then don't buy it- because I promise it won't get any better. Such a shame, I'm not even going to consider buying the third audiobook just because it was narrated by the same guy who butchered this one.

Really looked forward to this second book in the tri-book series. Again, enjoyed the story very much, but would have preferred that the performance was done with original narrator, Sean Crisden. Eagerly awaiting third book, Honored Vow, in the series....really hoping author will go back to Sean Crisden to narrate.

But...what happen to Crisden... It took me a minute to get adjusted to new narrator but other than that...this was a great progression of Jin and Logan's clan, relationship and story. I love when the story just keeps getting better and better, and thier's did.

A good credit. Don't buy, just wait for the credit unless you have book 1, then you might as well get this book and the 3rd one too.

Jeff Gelder is an excellent narrator. People had become accustomed to the equally excellent voice of Sean Crisden, but were unwilling to give anyone else a fair hearing. Besides, I think Crisden can sometimes sound very one note with little color in his voice--other than humor. When he is good, he's at the top of heap, but I think Gelder did a superior job with conveying a character's power.

What did you like best about this story?

The close relationships and intimate situations very intense and fulfilling.

Which character – as performed by Jeff Gelder – was your favorite?

Logan Church. His voice was rich and powerful just as one would expect from the leader of a community where domination is everything.

If you could take any character from Trusted Bond out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Domin Thorne would be a witty and interesting dinner partner. There are hinted at depths to Domin that I would like to explore.

Any additional comments?

Sit back and listen to the deep mellifluous voice of Jeff Gelder charm you and entice you into a fantastic, yet frightening, world.

I love this series. the story was still beautiful but right now I feel like crying the narrator was DISAPPOINTING i was really looking forward to book 2 what a disappointment what happen to sean Crisden? but still i love this book i recommend it

I am totally absorbed in this story and completely taken with the talent of the author. Clearly Mary knows her characters better then I think they even now themselves (if that makes sense). It is absolutely enthralling to get sucked into such talent. Lol, not to mention I was looking for something like this to listen to thanks to anime withdrawal. I can feel the manga influences throughout the series, even if that was not the intent. For me it is like hearing it instead of seeing it. Any who, it's a very well done series.

But my issue is with the performance. The narrator has a very pleasantly toned voice IMHO. And I liked Logan's voice a lot, that wasn't any issue. No, it was the way it was read. 1) It was so monotoned at times I could have been listening to the male equivalent of Siri. 2) When there was any inflections at all it was not an appropriate time for them to be used. This made it VERY difficult to follow along. - Now I'm pretty easy going and this in its self would not give the actor 1 (I wish it was zero stars) star, however there where some MAJOR flaws - 3) He repeated sentences that he made errors in and they where not cut from the book! Many of them. 4) He repeatedly said words wrong. Completely changing the meaning of the sentence in the process. - This got me thinking what else was he getting wrong. So I got onto whispersync and followed along with immersion reading - 5) He must have had a different book then me. That's all I can think. 6) He reworded whole sentences. Substituting, switching, and replacing words, names, and phrases. 7) He SKIPPED sentences. 8) He SKIPPED a whole paragraph. And this is just the part of the book I followed along with. This book is unabridged (I checked, repeatedly). In retrospect if there is a typo in the book then sayings something other then what is written to improve the telling of the story, I can forgive. But this is horrible.

The book is excellent there's no doubt about that. I was really excited to see that it finally was released as an audiobook and I immediately bought it.

What I found though was less than satisfactory. The narrator read too quickly, like he was rushing through it, and with barely enough stops in his narrations to let things sink in. Not much diversity in the voices nor the tone of voice depending on the mood the characters were in.

Really this was a disappointment especially when compared to the first book narrated by Sean Crisden.

Also in comparison with the first book, the terminology that Mary Calmes uses in her books for the Werepanthers, maahes, semel, reah etc, are read differently too. Don't know if they were read wrongly in the first book or in the second but it'd have been better if they were kept the same as they were in the first book so that at least there would be some sort of connection between the 2 books.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

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